University Museums hosted an event at the Brunnier Art Museum Friday night featuring their newest exhibits for the semester. A collection of artwork by Joe Patrick as well as a group of works from the Bohan Collection were on display.

Adrienne Gennett, the Assistant Curator at the University Museums, curated the exhibits and said it’s important to have art that is not only beautiful to look at, but that can also tell us something about life.

“The exhibitions are about educating and inspiring students on campus and the campus community,” Gennett said. “We can recognize aspects of our culture in there and see how a different culture represents the same things.”

Most of the large paintings by Joe Patrick are from the 90s and inspired from the trips that he has taken to Oaxaca, Mexico for forty years. The smaller drawings, however, were done scattered throughout the past three years. These drawings depict the heads and faces of older, experienced members of our communities and society in Mexico.

All together, there are approximately 100 drawings and 38 paintings from Patrick’s collection.

The other exhibit features objects from the John L. and Ethel Margaret Gillmore Bohan Collection.

With a partnership between the University Museums and the Bohan Collection, an exhibit of Native American fine arts and culture has been comprised, though, historically there was no precedent.

The Brunnier Art Museum is located on the second floor of the Scheman Building and the exhibits can be viewed during regular visiting hours. For more information, visit the University Museum’s website.